CHARGERS: Mathews tries to shake off fumble

SAN DIEGO ---- Ryan Mathews knows how important ball security is, and he isn't making excuses for his costly fumble in the Chargers' loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

The mistake marred the running back's return and sullied other positives gleaned from his first game action since breaking his collarbone on Aug. 9.

He had plenty of time to ponder his mistake while the Falcons marched 96 yards in eight minutes to take a two-score lead. As he walked by fullback Le'Ron McClain on the sideline, he said what every fan was thinking.

"Man," Mathews said, "I really wish I could take that one back."

The veteran McClain tried to calm his young teammate by forcing him to look forward.

"I told him to take those frustrations out on the next play and carry it on to Sunday against the Chiefs," McClain said Monday. "You can't dwell on the past, but you can learn from it. You can be better because of it. Ryan is so gifted, and his future is bright. I think he's going to respond well and play great football. He's going to be fine."

Whether he will get similar opportunities near the goal line is unclear. Chargers coach Norv Turner on Monday alluded to a decreased role in situations where Mathews has struggled.

"We have a number of guys that are capable," Turner said. "While we're getting Ryan Mathews to a point where he can play an extended period and protect the ball, there are certain situations where we're going to limit his exposure.

"I'm not going to give away our game plan but ... we're going to look hard (at Mathews' fumbles). We've done it before and we'll do it again; we'll look at each time he has lost the football and we've had the teaching reels and all of that. When and where they occur is part of that."

Mathews' fumbling history is not good. He has fumbled 11 times and lost six in 27 games.

During his career, Mathews has fumbled once every 42 carries. By contrast, LaDainian Tolminson fumbled once every 126 touches, although Tomlinson wasn't as sure-handed early in his career.

Mathews' lost fumbles have been especially harmful. Of the six lost fumbles, five have come inside either 30-yard line, creating a short field for the opponent or taking away a scoring opportunity. Of those six, the opposition has cashed in with four touchdowns and a field goal after stealing possession.

Mathews has a hard-to-shed reputation for being delicate and fumble prone. He was injured on his first preseason carry and missed six weeks. Then, on his eighth touch of the regular season, Mathews lost the football.

"I thought I protected the ball pretty well," Mathews said. "It was just that one play. Coming back from not being in the preseason and everything, guys were doing a lot of hitting in there. Missing the first couple of games, I think there was a little bit of wear and tear on me because I wasn't really carrying the ball with contact. But you can't make excuses. If I want to touch the ball as many times as I want to touch it in a game, I can't put it on the ground. My goal was not to have any fumbles, but now my goal at the end of the season is to just have one."